Today in Strasbourg, during a debate on the dire situation of Christians and religious minorities in Nigeria and the Middle East, the leader of the ECR Group, PiS MEP Patryk Jaki called on the European Union to take concrete action to defend the most persecuted religious group in the world—Christians.
“I am here to speak up for the most persecuted religion in the world, that is, Christians,” Jaki began, noting that the situation in Nigeria particularly clearly illustrates the depth of this crisis. He emphasized that where Christian communities predominate, there is freedom—religious, political, and educational. “Everyone can choose what they want,” he noted.
At the same time, he pointed out that in regions where extremist Islamic groups are gaining influence, there are drastic human rights violations: “Western education is banned, women are persecuted, and children are murdered. Wherever they appear, freedom is destroyed in every dimension.”
Jaki also addressed the situation in Europe, which—as he put it—“has forgotten its roots.” He pointed out that traces of Christianity can be seen in every aspect of European civilization: in architecture, in public spaces, in culture, and in literature. “Even the names of some political groups in this Parliament have Christian origins, though they often no longer have anything to do with it,” he noted.
The MEP criticized the priorities dominating the EU debate, emphasizing that the EU too often wastes time on ideological disputes instead of focusing on protecting people who truly need support: “Instead of standing up for Christians, at every session we talk about pink and green ideologies, while forgetting our roots.”
In conclusion, Jaki called for a change in approach and for the protection of persecuted Christians to be restored as one of the Union’s key commitments: “This must change, because this is what has been Europe’s strength.”
